Part 1 - We Decide What is Right and What is Ilusion
by TeknoKat
Summary: The first part of The Never Ending Chronicles. There's a new Animorph. What will happen?


  
We Decide What is Right,  
and What is Illusion  
  
To decide what is right,   
And to decide what is wrong,  
Deciding had been going on for forever long.  
And when we decided on what is true,  
It was never mentioned,  
That I might lose you.  
  
  
The Ellimist sat back on a cushion of space. He was thinking and remembering. He was thinking about the Animorphs. About how they had helped him. How they had helped themselves. How they had saved their planet. With the help of himself of course.  
He never gave direct help or guidance. That was against the rules he and the Crayak had set up. He knew better, but their was always loop holes. Always. And he had learned to find these loop holes. He needed these loop holes, as had the Animorphs. And he still needed those loop holes. Even if the Animorphs no longer needed them.  
The Ellimist closed his eyes. He knew the price he would have to pay if he directly interfered. He had often debated the price, but the price had always been too great.  
He opened his eyes suddenly and smiled. Earth was safe, and that was what mattered. No longer did the Yeerks run around the galaxy infesting beings. The Andalites had defeated them, at a price. Everything comes at a price.   
The Ellimist frowned slightly, and went to thinking of the Animorphs. Back to thinking of how they done their best to save their world, to save their species. They had succeeded, but at a higher price than what the Ellimist himself could afford to give.  
It had cost the Animorphs their lives.  
He remembered....  
  
I sighed. I really couldn't believe that we might be getting a new Animorph member.  
Animorphs. A word that you won't find in the dictionary or the encyclopedia. It is a word that my best friend, Marco, made up. It is what we are. Animal morphers. Believe me, this was not something we were born with.   
My name is Jake. I am the 'fearless leader' of the Animorphs. At least that is what Marco calls me. It annoys me, and he knows it, so he insists in saying it. That's Marco for you.  
I am an Animorph. That one little word means that not only can we change into animals, but that we must save the world. Animorph. It also means that I know of aliens, and have in fact met some of them. Some of the are nasty and evil, while others are good and just. Andalites aren't either of them. Yeerks are more towards the evil side, but there are good Yeerks out there.  
Yeerk. A word that puts fear and evil into the mind. Yeerks are a parasitic species. They crawl into your head, through the ear canal, and proceed to take over your body. They control you utterly. There is nothing you can do to stop them once they are inside of your head. You can't speak, eat, or even blink your eyes unless the Yeerk wants to. I know. I, once for a short time, was a Controller.  
Controller. Another word that has meaning. A Controller is a person that already has a Yeerk in their head. You cannot tell a Controller from a normal human. That is how efficient the Yeerks are. They make themselves act just as the person does. No matter how hard you try, you cannot keep your thoughts and memories from them. Controllers are everywhere. My brother, Tom, is a Controller. Marco's mother was a Controller. Our assistant principle, Chapman, is a Controller. They are everywhere.  
Andalites. Think centaur. Now think of a centaur completely covered in blue fur, and a long bulwhip tail with a scythe-like blade at the end. Think of a mouthless face, with three slits for a nose and big green main eyes. Imagine the top of the their head. Now imagine two horn-like projections that can swivel around in any direction. They are eyes.  
Now think of superior arrogance. That is how Andalites are. They think themselves better than us. I really can't blame them. We aren't matched mentality wise. Yet.  
The Andalites are the ones who set the Yeerks upon the galaxy. The are the ones who set the Yeerks free from their home planet. They are the ones who taught Yeerks about ships. They set them free to ravage across the galaxy.  
My name is Jake. I know you already knew all of this. Maybe I was just telling myself, trying to make myself feel better. If that was what I was doing, it didn't work.  
I looked around the barn. All of the Animorphs were there, including Ax. Also, our new Animorph, hopefully, was present. She didn't know that yet though. Right now she was unconscious.  
"Is she going to wake up soon?" asked Marco. He was leaning against a post, his arms crossed. His hair had grown out, but not much. It now hung just slightly over his ear tops. He had grown more muscular, but he hadn't grown at all in height.   
"How should I know?" said Rachel testily. She was sitting on a bale of hay, looking at the prone figure on the ground. She was still beautiful. She had grown yet taller, more leggy. She could have been a super model, but that wasn't what she wanted. Her hair was blond, and just a little bit longer than shoulder length. It was always perfect. I swear that not even a tornado could mess up her hair.  
Cassie was leaning next to the unconscious girl. "Well I thinks he is going to be okay. Her heartbeat is strong, and she is breathing regular. That is always a good sign." Cassie stood up slowly. She had grown a little taller, but not much. Cassie was still as beautiful as the first day I met her. Cassie's black hair was cut short, so as not to get in the way of helping the animals around the barn. I was in love with her.  
I nodded my head slowly. "Are you all sure that we want to do this?" I asked suddenly.  
affirmed Tobias. He was in his usual spot in the rafters, keeping an eye out for any trouble.  
"I don't know if you guys are ready for this," said Marco. "But I am not so sure about it. Remember David?"  
"Yes," I said softly. "We remember David."  
David had nearly been the end of the Animorphs. Not a good thing. Because of David, we had not even really thought about recruiting a new Animorph member. The thing with David had happened almost two years ago.  
"Prince Jake?" said Ax.  
"I am not a prince. What Ax?"  
"What are we going to do with her? The Yeerks are looking for her just as they were David. She cannot go into public as she is, and she cannot stay in the barn."  
Ax had a point. I really didn't know, and that was what I was going to tell them. "I don't know Ax. We don't even know if she will want to become an Animorph."  
"What, not want to face danger at every turn, almost get killed twice a week, and not to mention save the world. Why wouldn't she want that?" said Marco sarcastically.  
I was about to say something back to him when I heard a slight moan. I looked down to see our potentially new Animorph waking up. I watched as she blinked her eyes open. I smiled faintly. Fate had struck again it seemed. Or maybe it was just the Ellimist.  
"Wh-where am I?" the girl asked softly. She sat up slowly. She was the same age we were, but was small, made to be a gymnast. She had brown hair that was messed up slightly. Her eyes were also brown. They were deep, thinking eyes.  
"Welcome to Animorphs-R-Us," intoned Marco. He smiled softly and knelt next to her. "You are in Cassie's barn." Marco began to help her up.  
"Why am I here?" She frowned and looked like a little lost puppy. The look looked cute on her.  
"To save your life," said Rachel quietly. She jumped off the bale of hay, and stood in front of the girl.  
"Save my life?" The girl looked confused.  
Cassie nodded her head. "Yes. You were going to be made into a Controller."  
"A Controller?" She looked around somewhat wildly. "Why did you take me away from my family?"  
"I'll answer your first question. A Controller is a person with a Yeerk in their head. A Yeerk," I held up my hand to forestall the question. "A Yeerk is basically a six inch long slug that crawls into your brain. While it is there, you are completely and utterly controlled. You can't move your toes, twiddle your thumbs, or look at something unless the Yeerk wants you to."  
They girl's eyes opened wide, then narrowed. "Are you lying to me? You must be. No one in their right mind would believe this."  
"But it is true. We have brought you here so that you can be saved from being a Controller." I sighed. "But you now cannot go into public. You can't go anywhere. I know this is sudden. Very sudden, and I...we are very sorry."  
The girl burst out laughing suddenly. "This is some kind of trick! I know it!" She turned to Rachel. "Nice job Rachel. If you hadn't of been here I would have thought this to maybe be real!" She laughed again.  
I sighed. Great, now she thought it was joke. I turned to Ax. "Ax, morph back. Tobias will you keep an eye out?"  
  
"Thanks Tobias."  
  
"Melissa?" She turned to me. "Melissa, see that weirdly cute boy right there?" She nodded her head as I pointed at Ax. "Watch him, and watch closely. He is going to change. Don't worry, he won't hurt you." I looked back at Ax. "Okay Ax."  
Then Ax began to change. His pink skin seemed to melt, and change to blue. His mouth disappeared, and two legs were beginning to grow out of his chest. Suddenly blue fur erupted from the blue skin, and two stalks began to grow out of his head. Then, with a pop, his tail spurted out, tail blade and all. His front legs touched the ground just as he grew two more fingers. Then suddenly, he was a full Andalite.  
Melissa began to scream, and fell down onto a bale of hay.  
Cassie winced and grabbed Melissa's shoulders and kneeled down in front of her. "Shhhh! My father will hear you! If he comes in here, we will be busted! Please be quiet!"   
Melissa looked at Cassie, and stopped screaming. "W-was that for real, or was that just some trick?"  
It is real Melissa, I said to myself. All too real. I nodded my head to Melissa. "Yes, this is real. Everything you see is real. At times I wish it weren't though." I said the last so softly that no one heard it.  
"Why have you brought me here?" She stood up and looked defiantly at all of us.  
Marco walked up to Melissa. "To make you, hopefully, part of the Doom Squad. The Animorphs." Melissa raised an eyebrow as Marco waved his arm at us. "The Animorphs are us. Me, Jake, Cassie, Rachel, Tobias, and Ax. We are trying to save Earth, and get rid of the Yeerks."  
"Oookay. What the hell is he?" She pointed at Ax.  
Rachel grimaced. "Ax is an Andalite. They fight the Yeerks as we fight the Yeerks."  
"Uh huh. How do I know that it isn't the..Andalites that are the so called 'bad guys'?"  
I sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "You don't. You just have to trust us. A hard thing to do, seeing as we took you from your home, and slammed all this junk into your face." I shook my head. "The future of Earth is at stake. The Yeerks will come, kill everything that they don't need, and take over the whole human race."  
Melissa looked thoughtful. She suddenly looked at Ax. "Why do you fight the Yeerks? This isn't your planet."  
Ax looked resigned. He looked at me. I nodded my head.   
"So your people let the Yeerks upon the galaxy. Great." She sighed and looked at me. "So you want me to fight the Yeerks. But yet I can't, obviously, go into public, or go anywhere where I would be recognised. Wonderful. Just wonderful." She shook her head. When she looked up, she had tears in her eyes. "Why couldn't you bring my mother and father?"   
She looked like she knew the answer, but didn't want to hear it. I said it anyway. "Both of your parents are Controllers. They became Controllers so that you wouldn't become one. Visser Three went back on his word. He betrayed you and your parents."  
Tears ran down her cheeks. "So that's why they never acted like they loved me." She put her head into her hands. "I'll do it." She looked up suddenly, her eyes bright with tears and determination. "I will join you. I will become...what was that word?"  
"An Animorph. You'll become an Animorph. Do you know what this means?" Melissa shook her head and I sighed softly. "It means battle, possible death, and many other things that are not nice. You may even end up having to kill your own parents."   
I looked up at Marco and he looked at me. His eyes were dark and foreboding. I barely held back a shiver. When Marco got that light in his eyes, it scared me. I knew what it was. It was insanity.   
I looked away from Marco to Rachel. She smiled slightly. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and frowned slightly. Tobias was talking to her privately.  
I glanced over at Cassie. She was shaking her head slowly. She was so beautiful that I couldn't take my eyes off her. I was in love with her, and I hoped that she was in love with me. She looked at me and smiled. I smiled faintly back, then looked back at Melissa.  
I frowned slightly when I saw that she was wiping away her tears. "Melissa, are you going to be okay?" She nodded her head slightly.  
"Yeah. This is just so sudden." She tried to smile, but her lips only twitched. Marco came up behind her hand held her shoulders. She jumped, and turned her head and glared at him. Marco backed away, a slight frown on his face.  
"Are you sure you want to become an Animorph? Completely sure?" I asked her softly, looking into her brown eyes.  
She nodded her head. "Yes. I am sure. It is pretty much my only choice."  
"Are you ready to hide from the public, unless you are in morph? Are you ready to maybe kill your parents, betray friends that are Controllers? Are you ready for this and worse?" Marco said this. It sounded so chilling that this time I couldn't hold back a shuddered. I looked up to see Rachel shaking her head with a dark, slightly frightened look in her eyes.  
"Yes. I will do what I have to. My parents are no longer my parents. They are not what they seem. They are now strange and alien to me. No pun intended."   
I looked at everyone. We were making our own silent, 'are you sure' vote. Rachel nodded her head. As did Cassie, and Ax, (he was again in human morph). Marco sighed, and nodded his head slightly.   
I smiled slightly. Tobias was almost always ready to take a risk that would help the group.  
I nodded to myself. "Yes Melissa, you will have to do that. That and more." I frowned. "Do we have the morphing cube here, or is it hidden?"  
"I have it right here," said Rachel. She unzipped a little pouch that was wrapped around her stomach. She took out a blue cube that fit in the palm of her hand. She held it out, and my gaze fell to it. Everyone else was also staring at it. Even Melissa.  
"What is that?" she asked curiously.  
"It is the morphing cube. It is what gives you the ability to morph." I looked at everyone, and they all looked solemn.  
Melissa looked skeptical. "What do I have to do?"  
"All you have to do," said Rachel as she handed the cube to Ax, "is put your hand on one of the sides of the cube. You will feel a tingle. When I take back the cube, you will have the power to morph." Rachel had a faraway look in her eyes, then shook her head and looked at Melissa.  
Melissa nodded her head. "I am ready." She slowly brought her hand up to the cube. She tentatively touched it, and she closed her eyes. "It tingles," she said in a sluggish voice. Suddenly her eyes opened, and Rachel took back the cube from Ax.  
"You are now able to morph any animal you touch," said Ax. He looked at Melissa.   
Melissa began to look around the barn. "Can I pick out some morphs right now?"  
Cassie stood up and walked over to a cage that had a some type of hawk in it. "We all have bird of prey morphs. And this is the only bird of prey we have, besides that turkey vulture. This is a Swainson's hawk." She pointed at the bird. It had dark brown wings and head, with a red upper breast and white on the rest of the belly and around its beak. It cocked its head at Melissa and stretched the one wing that wasn't broken.  
Melissa shuddered at the thought of turning into a vulture. "I'll take the hawk. How do I...uh..."  
  
Melissa looked up at Tobias. "Thanks. How do I acquire the hawk?"  
Cassie opened the cage and gently took out the bird. "Touch it's wing. Think of the animal, how it would feel to have feathers, to fly." Melissa put her hand on the birds wing. "Concentrate."  
Melissa closed her eyes and the Swainson's hawk closed his. Suddenly she opened her eyes and took her hand away from the bird.   
"You now have the bird's DNA in your body. You can now morph the bird, but not right now. We are going to get you some more morphs," I said. I looked at everyone then back at Melissa. "I happen to have two of the morphs that you are going to need. Fly, and cockroach. We have needed all of these morphs at one time or another. We use much more than what we want to." I took out two small boxes, on with a cockroach and one with a fly. I had plucked off one of the fly's wings so that it couldn't fly away.  
"You mean that I have to...morph those things?" Melissa shuddered.   
"Being an Animorph is all fun and games," said Marco softly. He crossed his arms, and looked at everyone.  
Melissa looked disgusted, but stood up straight. "Give them to me. Hurry before I lose my nerve to acquire them." She took the boxes that I had in my hand and took out the fly. She narrowed her eyes at it, then the fly stopped buzzing and went still. Melissa then threw the fly to the floor and took out the cockroach. "Disgusting," she muttered and closed her eyes. A second later she threw it to the ground also, and stepped on it before it could get away. "I always hated roaches," she explained. "What other morphs do I need?"  
"You still need a seagull, an owl of some sort, bat, wolf, dolphin, and some others," I said softly. "You are also going to need some battle morphs."  
"Battle morphs?" She looked at me with a curious glint in her eyes.  
"Great, another Rachel," muttered Marco.  
"Yes, battle morphs. Big, strong, deadly animals. Mine is a Siberian tiger. Rachel's is a African elephant and a grizzly bear. Cassie's is a wolf. Marco's is a gorilla."  
said Tobias. He looked at Melissa with his fierce gaze.  
Melissa shrugged. "Sure." She looked at Cassie, who was taking out a seagull with a broken leg. She walked up to Cassie, and touched the seagull. The seagull closed its eyes, and then Melissa stepped back. "What else?"   
Marco smiled slightly. "Ever wanted to howl at the moon?" He looked over at a female wolf that had caught its leg in a trap. "Now is your chance."   
Melissa smiled softly, and walked up to the cage with the wolf in it. She slowly stuck her hand through it, and the wolf closed her eyes. Melissa withdrew her hand and smiled broadly. "I always wanted to be a wolf."  
While Melissa had been acquiring the wolf, Cassie had put away the seagull and brought out an owl. "Here is the only owl we have. It is a barn owl. They have great hearing and sight. Perfect night animals." She put the bird out at arms length and Melissa acquired it.  
"What about the bat?" asked Melissa softly. I was surprised that she was taking it so easily. I hadn't been like this when he first started acquiring animals. I had been scared and unsure. Maybe Melissa was, but she certainly wasn't showing it.  
"Here you go," said Rachel. She was holding a bat, and showed it to Melissa. "Here." Melissa quickly acquired it.   
"Anything else you want me to acquire?" She looked around the barn.  
"As a matter of fact I do. We have a puma and a bobcat here. I want you to morph both of them. None of us have these morphs, so you will be the first." Cassie showed her the puma and bobcat.  
"You want me to morph those?" Cassie nodded her head. "Cool." She quickly walked over and carefully stuck her hand into the cage of the puma. "Good kitty. Please don't take my hand off." The cat took a lazy look at her, then closed it's eyes. Melissa grinned, and turned to head towards the bobcat. "I love cats," she said. She walked over to the bobcat and stuck her hand in, and laid it on the cat's side. "Pretty kitty. I can't wait to become you." She stood up, and grinned. "I so do love cats. What else do you want me to acquire?"  
I smiled slightly. "Now you head to the Garden's with Rachel, Tobias, and Cassie. Me, Marco, and Ax aren't going to go."  
"How are we getting there?" Melissa asked. She smiled like she knew the answer.   
  
"No."  
Tobias seemed to sigh.   
"Why?" she asked Tobias. She was looking at him curiously. "And why are you staying as a hawk?"  
He spread his wings. _  
Melissa gasped. "You are right Marco. This isn't all fun and games."  
  
"Who is the Ellimist?" Melissa looked at Ax. "He sounds like a alien, so I will ask you."  
"The Ellimist. Ell-e-mist. The Ellimist is a entity that can do just about anything it wants. Bout. Aaa-bout. It can stop time, go to the future or the past. It plays by its own rules. It 'helps' us some times, but it is a trickster. Triiic-ssster. Ster." Ax looked around in disgust, almost as if the Ellimist was there right then. Who knows, maybe it was.  
I stood up. "I have to get home. Rachel, Cassie, I trust you to help her pick out some good battle morphs. Let her choose what she wants. Be careful, and do not get caught." I started to walk out the door. "Pick morphs that you can use Melissa." I walked out into the sunlight and smiled slightly. It was good to have a new Animorph, but I didn't know how it would go. Not yet anyway.  
  
It was a couple hours later, and I was at my house, watching some TV. I hadn't stayed to watch Melissa's first morph. I was pretty sure it went well, otherwise I would have been called over.   
I was flipping through he channels on the TV, when the phone rang.   
I picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
"Hiya Jake. It's Rachel. Do you want to listen to the new CD that I bought today?"   
"Sure. Where?"  
There was a pause. "How about we meet a Cassie's?" She sounded happy, but I didn't know if it was an act or not.  
"Sure. Be there in a few minutes." I hung up the phone without saying goodbye. "Mom!" I yelled. "I am going over to Cassie's to listen to a CD. Be home in a few hours."  
"Okay Jake!" came a muffled voice from the basement. I walked outside and grabbed my bike.  
I quickly peddled my way over to Cassie's, thinking of the morphs that Melissa might have picked out. I was pretty sure that she had gotten the dolphin morph that she was going to need, but I could think of little else.  
I pulled up the drive to Cassie's and walked inside the barn. Everyone was there besides Ax and Marco.   
"Where's Marco?" I asked.   
"He can't come," said Cassie. She was sitting next to Melissa.   
Melissa grinned at me. "Flying is great!" She was, I swear, glowing. I smiled. Flying was great fun, even though you are sometimes you are afraid that you are going to fall out of the sky.  
I decided to get right down to what morphs she had picked. "What morphs did you choose from the Gardens?"   
Rachel grinned. So did Melissa. "I chose a African elephant, a kangaroo, a giraffe, a male lion, a dolphin, a leopard, and this real cool looking black Siberian tiger they had there. It was so pretty. Now we have two tiger morphs between us." Melissa smiled broadly.  
I gaped at her. "You chose all those? You got all those animals acquired?" Melissa nodded her head. "And you weren't caught?"  
"Surprisingly no, Jake." Cassie smiled. "I was quite surprised by that also." She smiled and stood up, then sat beside me. She kissed my cheek. I smiled.  
"So what do we do now?" asked Melissa.  
I sighed softly. "Now we wait."  
  
It was about a week later, and we had had, nothing to do. No problems with the Yeerks, or anything as such. I was beginning to get rather bored.   
I was sitting at home, watching TV. As usual, nothing was on. Surprise surprise.  
We had not been completely idol all week long. We had taken Melissa out, and had her morph every animal that she had acquired. We wanted to make sure that she could control the morphs instincts. I was surprised when only the kangaroo and the puma instincts took over. She said that the rest were pretty easy.  
I believe that she said that the kangaroo mind was calm altogether, but when it was started at a sudden noise, the animal went beserk and she lost her war with the instincts.  
With the puma she said that it was utterly fearless, and that deceived her. She let the mind go to far, but then when she saw a hare, the mind took over. She had won over the instincts, but not until she had caught and killed the hare.  
She also said that she loved the elephant, and the tiger. The leopard was good, but it was cunning and harder to control than she thought it would be. The lion too, had been completely dominating, and also hard to control at first.   
I was still a little ansy on the fact that she had an adult male lion morph. That had been David's battle morph. The one he had beaten me in. The one he had nearly killed me with.  
Also she had stayed the first few days in Cassie's barn, then we moved her to Ax's scoop for a few days. Then Tobias found an abandoned tent, and he showed it to Melissa. This was her home for now.   
I sighed softly as I watched the program on the TV. Suddenly the phone rang and I jumped. I quickly picked it up and brought it to my ear.  
"Hello?"  
"Hi Jake. This is Erek. I was wondering if you wanted to go to the mall. All the others are going to meet there. Maybe we could grab a bite to eat."  
I nodded to myself. Something was up. Erek wasn't human. He was a android called a Chee. They are a peaceful race that can do no violence. Even for their own lives. They had holograms that they almost always kept around them. They were the perfect spies.  
"Sure. I have nothing to do right now, so I'll be right there."  
"Bye Jake."   
"Bye Erek." I hung up the phone and took a deep breath.   
What were the Yeerks up to now?  
  
I was at the mall at a food court packed with people. Me, Cassie, Rachel, Marco, Melissa, Tobias, and Ax, both in human morph, were there. Erek was sitting down, eating some nachos.  
"So what's up?" Marco asked. He took a quick glance around the court, then looked back at Erek.  
Erek put down the nacho he was about to eat. Ax quickly grabbed it and stuffed it into his mouth, grinning. I shook my head and smiled slightly.  
"We have a problem." He looked at us all, with a very serious look. "They have a free Hork-Bajir. His name is Maw-Yepla. He had walked out of the valley, and was caught by some patrolling Controllers. They are going to wait for Visser Three to get there before they question him."  
"You mean they haven't made a Controller out of him yet?" asked Rachel. She looked skeptical.  
"No. I guess that Visser Three is going to personally reinfest him, then torture him to find where the free Hork-Bajir are. He wants this delight to himself and no one else." Erek looked worried. "They are going to question him tomorrow."  
"Why wait so long?" asked Tobias.  
Erek shrugged. "I think it is because the Visser is in some part of the galaxy, fairly far away. He won't be back until tomorrow."  
"So that's why things have been so quiet," I said to myself.  
Erek nodded. "Yes. But things won't be quiet after they torture that Hork-Bajir. They'll find those free Hork-Bajir, and all you have worked for will be destroyed." He shook his head. "I don't know how you guys are going to save him. The abandoned building where they will be doing this is going to be heavily guarded."  
"Abandoned building? Ding. Buuil-i-diing. Building. Why not the Yeerk Pool?" Ax wondered.  
Erek shrugged again. "Again I don't know. I think they know that they have a spy, but they don't' know who. I think it is also a trap. A trap that you really can't pass up because of the Hork-Bajir."  
I sighed softly. "Where is the building at?"  
Erek brightened slightly. "I believe it is that abandoned factory over on GreenWood Avenue. You know, the one that used to make car parts?"  
Tobias nodded his head. "I know the place. I fly by it often because it has good thermals. I never see anyone go there though."  
I nodded my head. "At least we know where it is. Now I have another question. Do we go in fighting or do we go in stealthy?"  
Cassie looked at me. "I think we have no choice, and will have to go in ready for a fight. Unless they have some place that we can demorph, then remorph, it will be the best thing."  
Rachel nodded her head. "Yeah. Go in ready for a fight. I don't know how we will get past the Hork-Bajir and Taxxons, not to mention human Controllers, but we will. We always do."  
"Erek, do you know if there is any place inside there that we could demorph and remorph into something more dangerous?"  
Erek shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't been in there. There may be, but I have a feeling that every place will be guarded. Remember, it is probably a trap."  
I sighed. I had forgotten that part.  
"What if we can't get Maw-Yepla out? What then?" asked Marco. He was sitting back, his arms crossed. He didn't look happy. "And what about Melissa. This will be her first fight."  
I looked over at Melissa. She had been so quiet that I had forgotten that she was there. Marco was right. What about Melissa? "I don't know. I suppose that the best thing that we can do," I swallowed. "I suppose the best thing we can do, if necessary, is kill Maw-Yepla. If we have no choice, and I honestly don't see a way to get him out alive." I looked at Cassie. She had a sad, dark look in her eyes. She hated taking a life, any life.   
"I don't like this," she said faintly. "I don't want to have to kill that free Hork-Bajir. I already feel guilty for killing the ones that have Yeerks in their heads." She sighed softly.   
I kissed her softly, and I said, "We won't kill him unless we have to Cassie. I promise." I smiled to help reassure her, but it didn't work.  
I suddenly looked up at Melissa. Her eyes were wide, but they were wide in anticipation. "We are going to battle tomorrow? My first battle. I wonder what morph I will chose." She looked thoughtful. "Either tiger or lion I think."  
"I wouldn't be so happy about it Melissa," said Marco darkly. "Remember, you may die tomorrow."  
"Does that matter?" she said. "I have no home, no family. I can't go into public unless I want to morph. What do I have to live for except perhaps saving Earth?" She looked at Marco. "Dying isn't such a bad thing Marco. It the way you choose to take it that matters."  
Marco shook his head. "Another Rachel. Great." He sighed.  
I sighed myself and stood up. "Tomorrow. What time Erek?"  
"I believe it was said that the Visser would arrive around one thirty tomorrow. I am not completely sure on this, but I think it is a close estimate."   
I nodded my head. "Thanks Erek. You have been a great help." Then I realized that I hadn't taken a vote. I had just assumed that we would do it. That in itself worried me.  
  
It was noon the next day. We were all gathered in Tobias's meadow. We had been there since about ten o'clock that morning. We had decided to go in fighting, with two of us going in stealthy.   
Stealthy. Both Ax and Tobias would be doing that part. Tobias would be going as Hork-Bajir, with Ax on him as a flea. Then, after got in, hopefully, Ax would demorph, and kill Maw-Yepla. We had figured that that was the only safe way. Taking him out would be too much of a risk.  
Me, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Melissa would be fighting on the outside. We would hold back as many of the Hork-Bajir, Taxxons, and human Controllers as we could. I had a feeling that this mission wasn't going to go well, but I didn't voice it. No need to put extra worry into everyone.  
I sighed. "Well we had better get going people. We want to be there before the Visser, and kill Maw-Yepla." I looked at Cassie. "Cassie come with me a moment." I stood up, and took her hand.  
I drew her into the woods, out of the way of prying eyes. "Cassie, I know you don't like this idea. But you know it's for the best."  
She sighed sadly. She looked at me, her dark eyes glittering with unshed tears. "I get so tired of killing Jake. And now we are killing a innocent Hork-Bajir. It isn't right. He should have a chance to live." A single tear rolled down her cheek. "Another loss of a life. Another loss of a person, and I use that term to the fullest extent, for they are people, that could help us. I know that sounds as if we are using them, and it even sounds wrong to me." She sighed again and hunched her shoulders.   
I sighed myself. "I know I said that we would do whatever we could to save him. I know this seems unfair, and it probably is, but there is no way we can get him out without something happening to us. Even as it is, some of us may die today." I shrugged. "But every mission we take we may die." I brought her close to me and hugged her. "I love you Cassie, and I know you don't like this. I don't like this either. Please don't think that I do." I looked into her eyes. "I am sorry for this."  
She looked into my eyes, then looked away. "I know Jake. I know."  
I kissed her then. We stood there for well over five minutes just kissing each other. I felt so warm that I couldn't help but feel better. When I looked at her, I saw that she felt the same.   
"I love you too Jake." She looked into my eyes, kissed my forehead, then went back to the meadow.   
I sighed softly. How I loved her.  
I followed behind her, back into the meadow. I was surprised to see that neither Melissa or Marco were there.   
"Where are Melissa and Marco?" I asked.  
I could hear the grin in Tobias's thought-speak.  
I looked at Cassie. She smiled. She had known! And she hadn't told me! "You knew Cassie. How come you didn't tell me?"  
"Because they have a right to their privacy." She smiled. "Just like we do, huh Tobias?"  
  
Marco, in love. For some reason I just couldn't picture it. Marco had been going steadily more unstable over the past year. I often worried about him, for he now rarely made jokes or laughed. He just as often scared me.   
Marco had had to kill his own mother. About nine months ago, after he thought he had lost her over the cliff, he saw her again. He didn't hesitate. As soon as he got her alone, he killed her. I still don't know how. I don't know if I want to know. All I know is that ever since then he has been getting more and more scary.  
A crunch of twigs brought me back to reality. I looked up to see Marco and Melissa holding hands, and smiling.   
"Are we ready to go people?" I asked.  
  
"Let's do it!" said Rachel, with her usual enthusiasm.  
We all began to morph birds of prey. The skin on my legs became hard, and itchy. Then a pattern began to creep down my legs, forming into bird scales. My feathers too, were beginning to erupt from my skin. My tail feathers flew out, and my lips became hard. Soon it was a tearing, ripping beak. The last thing to change were my eyes. They went from brown, to a angry amber-brown color. I looked at the others.  
Both Cassie and Marco were ospreys, and Rachel was a bald eagle. Tobias was his red-tailed hawk, and Ax was a harrier. Melissa was her Swainson's hawk, and I was in my peregrine falcon.  
__ said Melissa as we all jumped into the sky. Luckily there was a good headwind, and we rose easily into the air.  
  
  
_ said Rachel.  She laughed as we spread out so that we would look like a raptor party.   
We steadily winged our way to the abandoned factory. Then, less than a block away from it, we landed in a dark alley with no one nearby for miles. We demorphed, and began to morph again.  
I morphed into my Siberian tiger. As the orange and black striped fur began to slither from my body, I looked at the others. Cassie was morphing her wolf, while Rachel was going to African elephant. Marco was going for his gorilla morph, while Tobias was going Hork-Bajir. Ax was already mostly a flea.   
I looked at Melissa. I was stunned by what I saw. Black fur was sliding down her body, and a long tail squeezed out. It swished slowly back and forth. Her face began to spread out, and become longer. Soon she had the face of a tiger. Her hands and feet became huge paws. Her eyes became blue orbs. As I watched, she became the black Siberian tiger. She was beautiful. Or at least the tiger was.  
I looked around with my tiger eyes. I felt no fear in the tiger's mind. Only supreme confidence. I looked at the black tiger, and involuntarily drew back my muzzle, showing my teeth. There was another tiger in my territory.  
I quickly took over my tiger's instincts.    
I began to lope over to the factory, with the others, besides Tobias and Ax, behind me. Tobias and Ax had to go their own separate ways to try and sneak in.  
  
said Marco dismally.   
Melissa nuzzled up to him.  Marco's gorilla face smiled as much as it could.   
We waited silently for five minutes. Then ten. Suddenly,   
yelled Rachel.    
I sighed to myself and began to run towards the compound. The others followed behind me.   
As we neared the fence of the compound, Hork-Bajir began to stream out. I watched as about two dozen Hork-Bajir streamed from the factory.  
I yelled and the first Hork-Bajir tore open the fence.   
I looked and was very surprised to see that none of the Hork-Bajir had any Dracon beams. That worried me, but I didn't let it sink in. I jumped at the closest Hork-Bajir, my teeth clamping onto it's throat. I drew back sharply, taking it's throat with me. The Hork-Bajir screamed and fell to the ground, but not until it slashed my muzzle.  
RRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAARRRR! Me and Melissa both roared at the same time. The noise was deafening. The Hork-Bajir stopped in midmotion for three seconds, then ran at us again.  
yelled Melissa as she jumped, claws outstretched, at a Hork-Bajir. She landed on top of it, and slashed open it's chest. The Hork-Bajir bellow, and slashed her with it's elbow blade on her back.  She pushed the Hork-Bajir back, and dove for another.  
I swiped at the closest Hork-Bajir, and it jumped out of the way. Suddenly it lunged at me, and I jumped out of the way, then with a quick turn, jumped onto it's back, and bit the back of its neck hard.   
Marco was punching anything that got in sight. Every time he hit a Hork-Bajir, it went down and stayed down. Already though he was beginning to weaken from a deep cut in his stomach.   
I dove at two more Hork-Bajir, nocking them both to the ground. Both of them slashed at me, one hit me in the side, slicing a foot long line. I screamed, and clawed its neck out. The other Hork-Bajir was standing up, and jumping at me. I turned to face it, and hit it head on. He put a deep slice in my chest, while my back legs tore out his stomach.  
I took a quick glance up to see Rachel contending with five Hork-Bajir. One of them she had wrapped up in her trunk, which she slammed to the ground. Another she kicked ever so casually away. She turned her head quickly, and stabbed one with her tusk, then plucked it off with her trunk.  
Cassie was lunging and biting, lunging and biting. Never stopping or slowing down. She had many cuts on her, but they didn't seem to slow her.  
I whirled around, and faced off to another Hork-Bajir. Then it suddenly occurred to me. Where were the Taxxons and the human Controllers?  
I raked the Hork-Bajir's throat out and called out to Tobias.   
came a weak voice.   
I turned and jumped at a Hork-Bajir, clawing and gnashing with my teeth.  
  
I killed the Hork-Bajir and leaped at the next one.  
RRRRRROOOOOAAARRRR! Melissa roared and jumped at another Hork-Bajir. She was badly cut, and was moving slower and slower.  She tore out the Hork-Bajir's throat and jumped at another.  
cried Rachel suddenly. I looked at her, and saw that a long bloody line had opened up at her side. She whirled around, grabbed the Hork-Bajir, and threw him into the wall of the factory.   
yelled Cassie. She was limping now, and her tail, and an ear were gone. Long deep slashes ran up and down her wolf body.  
I looked behind me at Marco. One arm was limp at his side, and his hand was missing. He stumbled, but regained his balance and punched another Hork-Bajir.  he yelled. He stumbled again and fell to his knees.   
I ripped open the chest of the Hork-Bajir in front of me, and ran at Marco. He was trying to regain his footing, but the Hork-Bajir weren't letting him. They were slashing and stabbing at him.  I jumped at the Hork-Bajir and killing it instantly. The other I swiped at, raking four rows into his chest and stomach.  
Suddenly Marco stood up, and punched at a Hork-Bajir.  He whirled around and punched the head of a Hork-Bajir behind him. The Hork-Bajir fell to the ground without a sound.  
screamed Rachel. I saw that she was wobbling. She picked up another Hork-Bajir, and swung it by its feet, knocking down the Hork-Bajir in front of her. Then she tossed it away.  
I slashed at the nearest Hork-Bajir. I noticed that there were less Hork-Bajir, but enough to kill us. I was beginning to worry again.  
yelled Melissa suddenly. I looked at her, and two Hork-Bajir were holding her down. She was kicking and clawing at them, but was at a bad angle and couldn't reach them. They drew back her head. Another one came up, and bellowed in her face.   
yelled Marco. He started trying to run to her, but stumbled.   
I watched in horror as the Hork-Bajir swiped its wrist blade and ripped open her throat.   
Marco yelled again. He was trying to make his way to her, but kept falling weakly to his knees.  
Melissa flopped limply to the ground. I could see the gaping wound, could see her vertebrae through the wound. I knew she didn't have enough time to morph back.  
She blinked sluggishly.  She tried to draw a breath, but it never reached her lungs. Her eyes closed slowly, and she lay still with a large pool of blood around her.   
  
Marco cried. Then he went beserk. He stood up, and began to punch everything in his path. That's when I knew that sanity had lost its grip on him.   
He went around with insane rage and began to punch at things with both his arms. He charged anything that moved.   
I looked at Cassie. She was still dodging and lunging, but she was getting increasingly slower. I could see a sadness in her yellow wolf eyes.   
Rachel was crying in her head, and picked up a Hork-Bajir and threw it at the factory. She threw it with so much force that it went through the wall. I could see what was going on inside.   
Tobias was still alive, as was Ax. Ax was in his Andalite form, and Tobias was still Hork-Bajir. They were fighting for their lives.   
I tore my gaze away, and jumped at the nearest Hork-Bajir. I bit at its head, then tossed it away. Most of the Hork-Bajir were surrounding Marco.   
I jumped at them, as did Cassie. I tore at their backs and necks, while Cassie took out their legs, tripping them, then she tore out their throats.   
I was beginning to feel increasingly weaker. I felt a sharp stabbing pain in my side, and looked to see a Hork-Bajir wrist blade in my chest. I whirled around, tearing open my side. I raked at the Hork-Bajir's neck.  
cried Marco. I watched in slow motion as he stumbled, with two Hork-Bajir blades in his chest, where the heart was. Another Hork-Bajir stepped up and drove another one into his spine.  
I yelled frantically. He fell slowly to the ground, the Hork-Bajir kicking him, digging holes in him.  I slashed, bit, raked my claws at all the Hork-Bajir around me.  
_ Marco sounded lucid. __  
I jumped at the last of the Hork-Bajir. Most of the were either dead or unconscious. Only a few were standing.  
I heard a thundering sound behind me, and I realized that it was Rachel.  she whispered hoarsely. She trumpeted and charged at the remaining Hork-Bajir.  She whipped her trunk about, hitting Hork-Bajir left and right of her.  
Cassie leapt at another one, and ripped out it's throat. Then she flopped to the ground.   
I jumped at the last two Hork-Bajir. One jumped at me, while the other stood there, ready for me. I knocked the one jumping at me to the ground, my claws digging deeply into its chest. Then, using my momentum, I lunged at the other one, my teeth and claws bared. I landed on top of it, and tore out its throat with ease.  
_ I said softly. I limped over to his still body. I lay beside it for a second.   
He moved ever so slightly. He was still alive, barely. _ He took a shuddering breath, then let it back out. He drew another. __ He his body shuddered ever so slightly, and he exhaled. He didn't draw another breath.  
_ I nudged his body. He didn't move.    
I cried, then after a few minutes called,   
She was crying too.   
I stood up, shakily. My side hurt badly, and it was hard to move.  
_ She tried to stand up, but couldn't. __  
  
__ I looked at her, with her hide ripped open, one eye gone, along with a ear and the end of her trunk.   
Then I realized that she was crying too.  
I suddenly yelled. I had forgotten about them. I looked frantically through the hole in the wall.  
Tobias was just coming out, one arm gone, along with his tail. Ax came out after him, almost no injuries on him.   
__ He looked up at the sky. __  
I looked up too. __  
He looked at me sharply.  I nodded my tiger head. He sighed. _ he said softly. _ Then he began to cry.  
Ax put down his head. __ He sighed, and lowered his tail to the ground in grief.  
Rachel had picked up Cassie in the remainder of her trunk. Marco and Melissa still bodies were draped over her back. _ she said, still crying.   
  
  
(c) Morph53@aol.com  
  
  



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